Saturday, December 1, 2012

IBM Continues To Invest Big In Big Data

IBM has just opened a brand new data analytics center in Ohio, which is the latest in more than $17 billion they have invested in the past four years to increase their capabilities in the hot field of Big Data.  This will be their largest, most capable data analytics facility yet, which reflects the increasing demand from their clients for services to analyze the vast trove of customer information and other data that is currently being collected.  IBM has built up their data-driven services business in the past few years though a string of acquisitions, and has also collaborated with over 200 universities to develop Big Data analytics curricula.

IBM's huge investment is consistent with the hype that has surrounded the field of Big Data recently.  Last week, Oxford University's annual "Silicon Valley Comes to Oxford" event was centered around the topic, and speakers came from around the world to participate.  It was reported that while the majority of large business organizations are aware of the impending Big Data revolution, only about 25% had taken any steps to begin to take advantage of it - and only 6% were past a pilot stage.  This indicates a huge opportunity for data analytics providers in the coming years as businesses begin to understand how to unlock the information contained in their huge data troves.  As the field grows, it will surely alter the way companies think about marketing, and provide many new ways to quantify its effectiveness. 

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